Variable recoil mechanism for guns



May 12, 1.931. T. A. coNLoN VARIABLE RECOIL-MECHANISM FOR GUNS Filed OCT.. 28, 1929 Thoma-5 A- Ecmlnn /zm/J lllll.

Il lilllllllllillill Patented May 12, 1931 nis seres VARIABLE RCECOIL MECHANISM FOR GUNSv Application led October 28, 1929. Serial'iN'o. 403,077.

(GRANTED UNDER THE ACT 0F MARCH 3, 1883, AS AMENDED APRIL '30, 1928; 370 0. 'Gu 75'?)y The invention described herein `may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a variable recoil mechanism for guns and particularly for that class of guns wherein a portion of the powder gases of discharge are utilized for retarding the recoil movement of the gun, being compressed in this operation and made available for restoring the gun to battery.

The system of controlling the movement of a gun by means of powder gases, as proposed by McLean in Patent No. 749,215 contemplates the least possible movement of the gun in recoil, but the present invention is applicable to improvements in this gun which have a normal recoil appropriate to the maintenance and stability of the mount.

rllhe invention consists in the provision and novel association of a variable recoil with rone of the elements of the recoil mechanism.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention residesin the novel ar-V rangement'and combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter de* scribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodi-ment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section of a gun, embodying the improved variable recoil mechanism;

Fig. 2 isj a view in side elevation, partly in section, showing gun in full recoil;

Fig. 3y is a longitudinal sectional view through the forward end of the recoil mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional View through the rear end of the recoil mechanism; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference There is'shown a gun 5 mounted to slide y through normal distances in a cradle 6 vwhich 1s provided with the usual trunnion 7. `A cylinder 8 arranged parallel to the gun and secured thereto by means ofa bracket 9 so that it will move with thegun, is open at its rear end to receive a hollow piston lOfiXed to the cradle (S. The head 11 at the forward end of the cylinder if formed with a chamber 12 which4 is in communication withv theV bore 13 of the gun through'a passage 111, and

with the cylinder through apertures 15, normallyy closed by a valve 16. V

vThe inner end `17 of the hollowpiston 10V is provided with a port 18, normallyclosed by a valve 19 carried, on the end of a rod 20.V

The valve is formed with an aperture 21 de; i y 70 linto the cylinder 8 which by reason of its attachment to the @un is coil movement.

During the initialy stage of recoil the pressures in the chamber 12 andin the cylinder 8 will have been equalized and the valve' restore d to its normally closed position. Thereafter the gases which are confined in the cylinder will be compressed as the cylinder head approaches the piston 10 and will act partaking of the reto yieldino'ly check the recoil of the gun andV then restore the gun to its normal battery position.' The eifective volume of the gases in the'cylinder as controlled by the valve 19 will have increased as the elevation of the gun approaches the zenith.

A device for holding the gun in battery is contained in a cylinder 23 but its particular nature is not pertinent to the present invention.

lier

siv

I claim:

l. In a gun, a barrel mounted to recoil and counter-recoil through normal distances, a recoil cylinder movable with the barrel and having valved communication With the bore of the barrel to permit flow of gases from the barrel into the cylinder, a iXed piston Working in the cylinder, a valve at the inner en'd` of the piston regulating the volumeY of gas in the cylinder and means i'or moving the valve in accordance With the elevationrof .the barrel.'v

2. In a gun, a barrel mounted to recoil and counter-recoil through fnormal distances;` a recoil cylinder movable With the barrel and having' communication With ythe bore of the barrel Vto permit-flow ofgases'from the barrel into'the cylinder, a fixedpiston Workingin thecylinder and means controlled by the position .of elevation of'theubarrel for'regnlatingthevolume of gas inthe cylinder.

3. In a gun, abarrel mountedto recoil and counter-recoil through Vnormal distances,A al` recoilcylinder movable Withthe barrel and having communication with the bore of the barrel toipermit flow of gases from the barrel into the cylinder, a liXed piston Working in the cylinder and vmeans for regulating the volume of gas in they cylinder.

4C. A cradle', a gun reciprocally mounted thereon, a recoil mechanism embodying relatively movable parts, means for admitting gases of discharge to said mechanism to check recoil andrestore thel gun tobattery, and means for regulating the volume of the utilized gases.

THOMAS A. CONLON. 

